2025 NJ Holiday Toy Guide: Where to Get Free Toys & Where to Donate

From Toys for Tots to local community groups, New Jersey residents are banding together to spread holiday cheer during hard times as inflation continues to squeeze families this holiday season. 

With holiday toy drives and donation drop-off sites up and running throughout the Garden State, here’s where you can donate toys and gifts this month to support children in need: 

Newark 

Heroes for Newark Kids Toys for Tots Toy Drive is accepting donations of new unwrapped toys for children of any age from now until Dec. 12 at Bard Early College High School, Room 111, 321 Bergen St., Newark. 

Jersey City 

Mayor Steven Fulop and the Resident Response Center will host Jersey City’s 29th annual Toy Drive at the City Hall Council Chambers, 280 Grove St., Jersey City, on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 4 p.m. 

Jersey City families can pre-register online at bit.ly/toydrive-2025 and must provide proof of residency. Those who can’t register online can call the Resident Response Center at 201-547-4900. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Those wishing to donate new, unwrapped toys for children ages 1 to 12 should bring donations to the Resident Response Center at City Hall, Room B-108 from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit the Amazon wishlist online at jcnj.org/holidaygifts. The last day to donate is Dec. 10. 

Hoboken 

The Hoboken Police Department (HPD) is accepting donations for the fifth annual Sgt. Peter Zanin “Peachy” Toy Drive that will benefit local children and teens at the annual Hoboken Housing Authority and Familyhood’s Winter Wonderland, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 4 to 7 p.m. 

Residents can drop off unwrapped new toys, books, games, sports equipment, and other gifts at Hoboken Police Headquarters, 106 Hudson St., until Dec. 12. HPD will also be hosting an all-day donation drive outside of headquarters on Dec. 10 from noon to 8 p.m. 

Hoboken Grace Community Church, 409 14th St., Hoboken, is accepting donations for their annual Christmas Exchange until Dec. 13. Gifts will be accepted in person at the Church and will be distributed to children ages 17 and below. You can sign up to donate here. 

Wharton

The Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots campaign will be collecting new unwrapped toys to distribute to northern New Jersey non-profit organizations until Dec. 16 at Picatinny Arsenal, 213 NJ-15, Wharton. 

Donations can be dropped off in the Toys for Tots tents in front of the visitor center’s parking lot on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Sussex/Northern Warren County 

The Season of Hope Holiday Toy Drive is collecting unwrapped toys for kids and teens in the counties of Sussex, Northern Warren, and Northern Morris. Donations of gift wrap, ribbons, gift bags, and boxes are also accepted. 

Items can be dropped off at Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill St., Newton, in December from Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A limited number of additional drop off sites are located throughout Sussex and Northern Warren counties. Information is available at 973-940-3500. 

Madison 

FM Kirby Shakespeare Theatre and Goryeb Children’s Hospital are accepting donations for a Holiday Toy Drive until Dec. 14. 

Gifts must be new and unwrapped.Gifts can be found on the Amazon Wish List or Target Wish List. Donations must be dropped off in the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre lobby, 36 Madison Ave., Madison. 

Bernardsville 

Bernardsville Parks and Recreation are accepting donations for their Toys for Tots toy drive at their drop-off boxes at Bernardsville Borough Hall and Police Headquarters, located together at 166 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 16. Gifts must be new and unwrapped. 

Summit 

The Summit Policemen’s Benevolent Association #55 (PBA) and Summit Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association #54 (FMBA) are hosting the annual United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots holiday toy drive until Dec. 16. 

New and unwrapped toys to the donation boxes at the following locations during normal business hours:

● Summit Police Headquarters at City Hall, 512 Springfield Ave. 

● Summit Fire Department, 281 Broad St.

● Summit Community Center, 100 Morris Ave. 

● Summit High School, 125 Kent Place Blvd. 

● Douglas Body Ship, 485 Morris Ave. 

● Douglas Infiniti, 430 Morris Ave. 

● Douglas Volkswagen, 491 Morris Ave. 

● The Little Gym, 545 Morris Ave. 

● Peapack-Gladstone Bank, 48 Deforest Ave. 

● Serra Doce, 21 Union Place 

● Village Trattoria, 103 Summit Ave. 

The PBA and FMBA will drop off donated toys to the Marine Corps Reserve. Toys will be distributed to children throughout Union County and the surrounding area. 

Elizabeth 

The St. Joseph Social Service Center is working with Berkeley Heights and the Church of the Little Flower to collect toys through Dec. 13. Toys can be dropped off at the Berkeley Heights Recreation Center, 29 Park Ave., Berkeley. 

Gifts can be found online from the registry. Use the Berkeley Heights address as the shipping address. 

Union County 

The Union County Board of County Commissioners has announced their 2025 Holiday Toy Drive from now until Dec. 23. Wish lists can be found online on Amazon and Target. 

You can ship to the following locations in Union County: 

Elizabeth 

● Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza 

● Courthouse, 2 Broad St. 

● Prosecutors’ Office, 32 Rahway Ave. 

Roselle 

● Warinanco Sports Center, 1 Park Dr. 

Westfield 

● Passport Building, 300 North Ave. E 

● Public Safety Building, 400 North Ave. E 

Scotch Plains 

● Engineering Building, 2325 South Ave.

Gifts can also be shipped to: County of Union, Samantha Perez, County Manager Office, 10 Elizabeth Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07207 

Montclair 

Montclair Mutual Aid, Montclair Firefighters Foundation, Montclair Diner, Out Montclair, and Weichert Realtors are hosting their 2025 Toy Drive from now until Dec. 12. Distribution will take place on Dec. 13. 

New unwrapped toys for children ages 2 to 16 can be dropped off at the following locations: 

● Mtc Fire Dept, 1 Pine St. or 588 Valley Rd. 

● The Mtc Diner, 613 Valley Rd. 

● Weichert Realtors, 727 Bellevue Ave. 

Camden County 

Heart of Camden’s 2025 Toy Drive is collecting gifts for children ages 12 and under until Dec. 10. They are accepting gift cards and new toys that will be distributed at the second annual Waterfront South Awards Banquet on Dec. 12 at the MJD Fieldhouse. 

Donations can be dropped off at Heart of Camden, 1840 S Broadway, Camden, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations can also be mailed to 915 Paul St., Gloucester. Heart of Camden’s wish list can be found online at Amazon. 

Ocean County 

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners have announced that their annual Toy Drive is now accepting new unwrapped gifts for children of all ages from now until Dec. 12. 

Donations will be distributed to families across Ocean County and can be dropped off at the following sites: 

● Ocean County Youth Center, 155 Sunset River, Toms River 

● Ocean County Clerk’s Office, Ocean County Courthouse, 118 Washington St., Toms River 

● Ocean County Consumer Affairs Department, 1005 Hooper Ave., Toms River 

● Ocean County Administration Building, 101 Hooper Ave., Toms River 

● Ocean County Southern Service Center, 179 S. Main St., Manahawkin

● County Connection, Ocean County Mall, JC Penny Wing, Hooper Ave., Toms River ● Ocean County Parks and Recreation Administration Office, 1198 Bandon Rd., Toms River 

● Ocean County Training Center, Volunteer Way, Waretown 

● Ocean County Department of Transportation, 2820 Ridgeway Blvd., Manchester

Donations can also be made to the following Ocean County Library branches: 

● Toms River Branch, 101 Washington St., Toms River 

● Brick Township Branch, 301 Chambers Brg Rd., Brick Township 

● Barnegat Township Branch, 112 Burr Rd., Barnegat 

● Jackson Township Branch, 2 Jackson Dr., Jackson Township ● Lacey Township Branch, 10 E Lacey Rd., Forked River 

● Little Egg Harbour Branch, 290 Mathistown Rd., Little Egg Harbor Township